


You, me, Italian food, wine, candlelight...

by azure7539, xphil98197



Category: 00Q - Fandom, James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: Other, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-09 17:11:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10417017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azure7539/pseuds/azure7539, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xphil98197/pseuds/xphil98197
Summary: James doesn't understand why Q won't accept his invitation to dinner, despite being sincere. It takes Alec talking a bit of sense into him, and learning some personal information, for James to understand why.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We did a fair amount of research to get this correct, with technical terminology. We also understand that everyone has their own terms for their genitals, depending on their personal experience, their partner, and what ever suits them as an individual. We did try to treat it with the utmost amount of respect, even when James was being a typical arse and didn't say things in the best possible light.

"Come on Q, I brought back all my equipment, even the radio," James bargained, flashing his best smile. "You, me, Italian food, wine, candlelight..."

Q, who had been typing something on the keyboard, stopped and turned ever so slight to regard James. In the dim room, the light of the computer screen reflected in his glasses and effectively shielded his eyes. 

"No, Bond," he replied steadily. "I might give you a gold star for good behavior, though. Keep this up and you may just accumulate enough for a Christmas gift."

"Come on, dinner rather than an exploding pen," James bargained. "Real espresso and chocolate lava cake and tiramisu."

It was clear that James really wanted this if he were willing to give up on his precious exploding pen.

"What makes you think I planned on making anything as such anyway?" Q scoffed, adjusting his glasses. But something in him shifted and the slight guarded body posture from before suddenly shuttered closed.

"It's still a no, 007," he said, turning back to the program he had been working on. "I'm very busy right now." 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," James said softly as he left. 

He slammed the locker closed and headed for the pool, running straight into Alec.

"Don't, I'm not in the mood," he warned 006.

Alec narrowed his eyes and tilted his head for a second before he said, "Let me guess: you asked our quartermaster out and got rejected, didn't you?"

"Does all of Six know already? Fuck!" James slammed his hand against the locker, denting the door. "I was polite, I really was. I even tried that romantic shite you see in the movies."

Alec wasn't fazed, not even when James damaged the poor door. "Well, everyone will undoubtedly know if you don't stop shouting," he deadpanned. "I know you too well, James... enough to know that your polite may as well mean the more innocent ones of those cheesy pickup lines you have." He made a face. "Has it ever occur to you that Q listens in to our missions and may have mentally mapped out our patterns?"

"So? I wasn't using him as a target!" James dove into the water. "I really wanted to take him out to dinner, say thank you for saving my arse."

"Well it's a hazard of the job, isn't it?" Alec jumped in, too, racing after James and didn't speak again until they had stopped at the other end of the pool. "When you see something too often, wouldn't you start to making assumption, too?" He wiped at his face. "Alll I'm saying is that maybe he thinks you think he's just another conquest."

"How do I convince him?" James asked, frustrated, flipping to do another lap. "

When they emerged again, Alec shook the water from his hair. "Maybe start off stating clearly that your aim isn't to shag him senseless after dinner or whatever plan you have. Make sure you take things slow."

"I'm... I'm a bit gun shy," James admitted. "I'm horrible at this, Alec. Everyone I love dies. Even you disappeared. I wouldn't date me either."

Alec paused at that before sighing. "Most of it was out of your hand, James," he said. "What happened to her, to me, to M... none of it was your fault." And he had been sporadically reminding James of this fact for a long time already. "And I think for someone who risked his career for you after meeting you only twice... I think our quartermaster deserves a chance to decide what he wants for himself, yeah?" 

"What if I'm just not good enough for him?" James asked quietly.

"James," Alec placed a hand on James's shoulder, squeezing, the water sloshing all around them. It was a good thing he had locked the door to the pool after having spotted the foul mood James was in. "I mean what I said... it's only fair to let Q be the judge of that himself." He sighed. "But in all honesty, to me, if you're not worthy of happiness, especially when you actually put in real efforts, then we'll all be damned."

James nodded. "And what if something happens to him because of me? How do I live with myself?"

Alec snorted softly. "He's already at risk just being Six's quartermaster, James. I don't think being in a relationship with you will raise the stakes that much... It's clear he knows how to take care of himself, don't you think? He even takes care of you half a world away in whatever way he can."

"See? He's too good for me," James climbed out of the pool and toweled off. "Maybe after the next mission."

***

The next mission went pear shaped, as most were bound to do. James came back with his arm in a sling, a rescued kidnapping victim, and only a stolen USB drive for Q Branch.

"Can you make sure Q gets this?" James asked R quietly. James had dawdled until a late hour when Q should have been gone.

"He's in his office, I'm sure he'll want to thank you himself," R adjusted her glasses.

And, indeed, he was there, and Q stood up the moment James closed the door behind him. At least the light was on this type as it seemed Q was then working on a blueprint of some sort, pencils, rulers, and drafts scattered everywhere.

"007," he said, watching James with eyes bloodshot from staying up for too long and running mostly on caffeine and sugar. "Welcome back. I see you have gone to Medical." He sounded relieved.

"Yes, been tested and sewed," James handed over the USB. "I was able to retrieve this, and keep it in a watertight bag away from the blood. I'm sorry I don't have any of your tech," he ran a shaky hand through his hair. "Do you want a ride home? You look as exhausted as I feel."

Q took the USB with an affirmative nod as he went over to secure it in his personal safe in the corner of the office for later probing. He didn't say anything about the offer until he had straightened up and turned back to face James, looking at his sling and the tremor in his hand.

"I don't suppose you're in any state to drive yourself." He sighed. "Just... give me one minute."

Quickly, haphazardly, he shoved his half-finished sketches out of the way to gather his phone, tablet, and laptop into his messenger bag. "I'll drive you back." 

"You don't have to, I was offering you," James argued. "I've driven in far worse shape. I even saw medical instead of using dental floss stitches."

Q looked unimpressed. "I appreciate your consideration, but I'm driving," he said in a tone that concluded the case there, heading straight to the door to his office. "Let's go."

"At least let me pay for takeaway?" James offered. "Thai and cold beer sounds awfully good right now."

Q paused at that then nodded. "If you call now, they may deliver by the time we get to your place."

And with that, they headed out of Q branch and went for the car park. R had gone home and the skeleton crew had only begun filtering in. Quickly, Q located his car and walked to it, stopping his hand from holding too tightly onto the shoulder strap of his bag.

James slumped down in the passenger seat and popped a couple of aspirin dry, letting himself finally relax. "I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable before I left. I wasn't trying to make you a mark."

Q frowned when James swallowed dry those pills but started the engine to begin driving anyway once their seat belts were on. 

"That was clear," Q conceded. And yes, of course he knew where James lived. He had been the one to dispatch a TSS group there to install security, after all. "But I'm still not your conquest to scale, Bond."

"I wasn't trying to make you a conquest... Or scale you, or make you a notch on my bedpost, or any other stereotype," James sighed. "I trust you with my life. Ive lost everyone I ever loved. I'm not practiced at... Real relationships."

"I don't..." Q sighed, turning to James. "Are you asking for a long term relationship?"

"I... I'd like that," James turned to face him. "But I'm also scared. I don't want to lose you as the person that brings me home."

Q was quiet for a bit before saying, "You won't." He sighed again, adjusting his glasses. "But shall we give this a test run first to make sure I'm what you really want in a relationship?"

"Name one thing about you that make you undesirable, as opposed to a washed up old war dog like me?" James said, his voice tinged with an edge of bitterness.

There was a brief, distant look in Q's eyes which was gone as quickly as it had come. "You never know really. You may like me now with some distance, but you may not in the long run." He shrugged. "But you're not washed up as far as I'm concern, and so I would like to give it a try as well if you're not just looking to shag me to get it out of your system."

"No, not that at all," James shook his head. "You can call the shots, tell me what it is you're ready for." 

Q didn't know what he was expecting, but this still came as a surprise, to be perfectly honest. He hadn't really think James Bloody Bond would actually ask him about a possible long-term relationship, and while they still had a lot of major points that needed to be discusses... overall, it wasn't a bad start. 

The ride was more or less quiet after that until they stopped and parked at James's place. 

Considering what was about to come, coming here instead of his own flat was probably a more preferable choice. 

"Come on." He got out, reached for his messenger bag that he had dumped in the backseats, and locked the car once James himself had gotten out. The air was humid after fresh rain, but other than that, it wasn't unpleasant. "Are you still okay?" he looked at the agent as they headed up.

"Yes, just a bit exhausted," James gave him a sheepish smile. "The food should be here in the next ten minutes, make yourself comfortable. I need to get out of this suit if you'll excuse me?"

James headed off to the bathroom and washed his face and hands, sticky from the pain, before donning an old t shirt and track pants. He came back to the living room in bare feet, reading glasses on, and two cardigans over his arm.

"I know it's chilly and the heat will take a bit," James offered one to Q. "Would you like a hot shower?"

Q watched James leave, and for a moment there, standing alone in the man's flat, he began second-guessing himself about what he was doing there at all. Sure, he had had hopes for a while that Bond might be bisexual, despite what his track records of bedding women said, considering the slightly prolonged touches—brushes of hands at most—that the man gave him. And now that the assumption was probably becoming firmer after these two invitations, he... he didn't really know what to do next. 

Because rejection was nothing new to him, and he perhaps couldn't have been more foolish to have accepted this offer at all.

But Q was growing greedy, and Bond was gorgeous, and he was telling himself over and over that maybe just this one evening spent together, eating Thai and whatever, would be enough already. More than enough. 

And so he turned and took off his parka, folding it up quickly and setting it aside with his bag on a relatively unoccupied surface (because, no, it didn't look like Bond had unpacked at all after he had moved in months ago), and waited. Until nerves got the better of him and he started looking through the cupboards for anything resembling tea and finding only coffee, which wouldn't really do, so he gave up on the thought. 

He congratulated himself on not being startled when Bond's voice came filtering from behind his back. 

"Thanks," he took one of the cardigan in his hands, somehow surprised that the man owned one at all, let alone two. It was soft and well-worn, and Q pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose again. Bond looked good even in casual clothing. "I don't... I'll be fine without a shower, I think." 

He hesitated before putting the cardigan on just as the doorbell rang. 

"Do you want me to get that?"

"Let me, just in case?" James said, showing him the pistol stuck into the back of his waistband. "I'm mostly alive because I'm paranoid." 

He opened the door, but the usual delivery man from the Thai around the block smiled and handed over a cardboard box. There was a six pack of beer, containers of food, and paper plates.

James thanked him in limited Thai and accepted the same scolding about eating and resting more. 

"I'm going to order groceries, I have a general list over when I'm off mission on downtime. Anything you do or don't like?"

Q helped him get everything in and laying them on the table before he paused at the question. "You don't have to take me into account," he replied slowly. "Just buy whatever you need."

"Why not?" James asked. "You drink tea, I don't. There's bound to be some things that you don't like that i do, and vice versa. I'd a least like to find out, if that isn't too presumptuous of me."

Q licked his lips. "Yes, I drink tea. But your buying groceries for me when we haven't really discussed a lot about what our own expectations of each other are, is..." He carded a hand through his hair, "giving us expectations that may not really work out?"

"How can I expect to invite you over and get to know you if I don't even have tea?" James teased. "Even if we decide friends is better, I'd like to not feed you things you hate. For instance, take me. Anchovies. Vile, furry little salty monstrosities."

Q stared before choking back his amused snort. Barely. "You still want to feed me even if things don't work out?" he said, more to himself than anything, and opened the boxes up. "Just sit down first and eat, James. I won't die from being deprived of a cup of tea."

"Worst case scenario I would hope to gain at least someone I can invite over for takeaway, rather than making missions awkward and being assigned to a less competent Quartermaster," James shrugged, ordering the usual for groceries, and adding in tea."

Q paused for a bit before he said, "You really do have a tendency to surprise people, James." And he meant it. He enjoyed working with this man's unpredictability, only when he wasn't letting his cock think for himself and interfering with the outcomes of their assignments. "Anyone would have guessed that you prefer women."

"Anyone would guess that I'm also a cad, and sleep with everything that walks..." James gave him a wry look. "You monitor my movements when i'm not in the field, for safety at the very least. When's the last time you saw me bring anyone back home, or go back to theirs at all?"

"Well, I can't always keep an eye out for every one of my agents," Q replied smoothly enough, like he hadn't been checking, and feeling like a foolish voyeur the whole time, regularly himself.

"Q... come on now," James laughed. "If my locator chip transmits my vital signs on mission, it certainly does off mission as well."

"Are you really suggesting that I would spend my free time checking your vitals?" Q didn't really sound offended, more exasperated, and perhaps embarrassed... because he could feel the way the heat was creeping up the nape of his neck. He turned away, clearing his voice. "Your point?"

"I'm suggesting that at the very least our vitals are being monitored, and spikes in activity such as sex or kidnapping would be tracked," James allowed. "Come on now, Quartermaster."

Q muttered something like "incorrigible" under his breath, then finally decided to just reply, "Not recently, no."

"See?" James said softly. "I'm not... not trying to justify my actions. Just asking you to examine what I do in my personal life, as opposed to what you are used to seeing me do when I'm on a mission. I don't shoot people who push in front of me at the grocer either, although I'm capable of it."

Q opened his mouth then closed it, frowning. "I'm not implying that I'm interpreting you, how you act like, based on what you do out in the field. If I come off like that sometimes, then I apologize... I guess what I'm asking is that, to be frank: what is your sexual orientation?"

"I... my first sexual experience was with a woman. I found that I prefer men, later. I don't like the emotional hand holding and... I've often chosen the wrong women, so I don't suppose I should generalize," James said. "I'm more attracted to a person with whom I feel safe. I don't think physical traits are as important as someone who i can trust myself to fall asleep next to."

Q took all of this in and nodded slowly, considering and weighing the words inside his head. Everything else sounded just... great and very open-minded, and a part of Q was already hoping that at least this relationship of theirs would even have the chance to take off. 

"Thank you," he began. "For being honest with me." He knew all of it was genuine; none of it felt contrived at all. "And in return... I'm gay," he said, stopping himself from fidgeting. "I've always sort of... known that I like men. But the one thing that you must absolutely know, before we begin anything else, is that I'm also transgender." He forced himself to look into James's eyes at this because he just... he just needed to see what the man's reaction would be. 

_ "I found that I prefer men" _ lurked, but he pushed that away.

"Is that a problem?" James asked softly. "Are you asexual as well?"

"I'm not asexual, no." Q shook his head. "I've accepted myself and my gender, so of course it's not a problem for me... Is it a problem for  _ you _ , though, James? Because I haven't had bottom surgery, the surgery to alter what's... down there, and I have no plans for it at all either." 

"Not at all. Just tell me how to address you, what you prefer to call things," James assured him. "Sex between two individuals always takes some getting accustomed to, so there's simply differences. I'll do my best to remember what you like."

Q searched James's expression for a few long seconds after that and when the realization that there was no rejection or negative responses that he could find, he let out a breath of relief. Truly, because being in a relationship with gay men, as much as he could manage and afford really, had been difficult in and of itself, and while not all of his experiences were bad, many people were rather concerned about his genitals more than anything else and... 

It just hadn't been good. 

"Thank you," he said again with a nod this time, almost lightheaded to have finally put it out there. It wasn't that he had problems with people knowing he was transgender, but it was the fact that being in the position that he was in, in the working environment that was MI6, and needing to deal with agents, some of whom still had problems with his age and young appearance... He just couldn't imagine trying to assert authority over these people with them knowing that he was transgender and had been a woman before. 

So he had kept it to himself. The only people who had known were Mallory and the predecessor... and now James Bond, too.

"I'll do my best to remember what you like as well." He tried a smile.

"I really..." James squeezed his eyes closed. "As long as you don't betray me, or do something to intentionally hurt me and enjoy it, I think you'll be wonderful, actually. Can I ask you one thing, though?" he eyed Q.

"I won't hurt you intentionally and enjoy it, James," Q stated, in case James hadn't realized, and tensed just a little. "Yes?"

"What's your name?" James asked, a bit self conscious. "I realized I never asked."

"Oh," Q nodded. "Uhm... You can call me Nathan, or Nate. Whichever you prefer." 

"Nathan," James took his hand. "Nice to meet you," he leaned in and kissed his cheek softly. "Thank you for sharing a meal with me."

Q's cheeks were hot again, but he smiled and said, "Thank you for inviting me first. The food is good." 

"They always send extra, they know when they haven't heard from me in awhile I've been away, and my fridge is empty. I keep an account with them," James offered him a bite of prawn, handled with deft chopsticks.

"That's good. At least they're good enough to do that." He accepted the prawn gladly, chewing on it with a sigh. "I usually alternate the restaurants I order from. Mostly because I'm physically home more often anyway." 

"It's even better when I can go eat there in person, they've stopped letting me order," James smiled. "I'll take you one evening. They serve me whatever their family is eating, and send me home with extras for lunch the next day."

"Good owners. I don't know any place that would do that, not for me at least. As you can guess, I don't socialize much." Q snorted then shrugged. 

"Socialize? What's that?" James laughed. "Occasionally Bill and I have a pint and watch a rugby game, or Alec and I drink too much after a mission. I have no social life, other than Doctor Who reruns and Netflix and take away. You'd be hard pressed to be less social than I am."

Q just smiled and said nothing other than, "Eve sometimes brings me tea when I work." He took a spoon of curry and sighed. "Christ, that's good." 

"See? We're both socially dysfunctional, and you can't live without tea," James laughed. "Good thing I ordered some with the groceries. I took the liberty of loose leaf Earl Grey, and I got milk, lemon, and sugar."

"That sounds good." He nodded, pleased. "Do you cook then? Because I fancy myself able, too; it's just that I can't really do it." Too easily distracted by something more attention-captivating. "I survived through uni with ramen and instant rice to the point where my roommates said they couldn't bear looking at those two things anymore for a long while." 

"I can manage a stir fry, and eggs," James shrugged. "Recipes tend to be a bit of a disaster... I try to improvise and things don't always work out the way I think they should in my head."

"We're sticking to takeaways then," Q decided. "Either that, or you're not improvising, or you're keeping me actively engaged in cooking whenever I happen to get too distracted." 

"Well, with two of us, we might be able to manage something besides pot noodles?" James laughed. 

"Definitely." And the banter just carried on from there.

James yawned and checked his watch. "Christ, it's late. You can take the bed, I'll sleep on the couch," James offered.

Q blinked and looked at his watch as well. "Oh no. It's okay." He set down his beer and motioned to stand. "I can drive back." 

"You're tired and you had alcohol, it's not the best idea. But if you do, be careful," James yawned. He got up and put the extra food in the fridge and put the rubbish in the empty box to take out the next morning.

Q observed the sling James's arm was in, the exhaustion in his face, and licked his lips. "Well, I have no change of clothes, and you don't look like the sort who would let his guest sleep on the sofa either, so it's better if I go home for the night." He reached for his bag and parka. 

"Borrow a pair of mine, and you can drive home in the morning?" James went to the bedroom and found a spare pair of clean pajamas and a towel for Q. "Here, and let me at least clean your glasses?"

It was a second before Q traded off his smudged glasses for the pyjamas and towel. "You're not sleeping on the sofa," he said, blinking slowly and barely seeing James other than the blobs of colours that made up the other man's features—blond hair, tan skin, and blue,  _ blue _ eyes. 

"Its fine. I have a lot of nightmares post mission, its where I usually sleep for a couple of nights," James placed the now clean glasses carefully back on his face."

Q was relieved when the world went back into focus, and he was trying hard not to focus too much on the brush of James's warm finger just over his temple. "You arm probably will disagree for now." He nodded at the sling. 

"It's fine," James brushed a warm kiss over his forehead. "Go get some rest, Nathan. You need it, sweetheart."

The endearment sang in his ears, and the kiss burnt hotter than it should, and Q cleared his throat. "I'm not okay with kicking you to the sofa, James, and the bed is more than enough to fit two men." He should know; he had seen the order of it being approved for delivery. Not that he'd tell anyone this, no. 

"Come on," he said, shooting James an expectant look where he stood by the doorway to the bedroom. And indeed, the bed was enormous in the middle of the spacious bedroom... that barely had any personality to it. 

"Are you sure?" James checked. "I can have bad nightmares. Just don't try to wake me."

"I am," he nodded. "And I know what to expect." He reached for James's wrist, the warmth that carried even through a layer of the cardigan settled against the palm of his hand, and tugged him until he had sat down on the bed. "Sleep first. I'll go change."

James nodded and laid down. He'd opted for simple gym clothes with the sling, and all that needed taking off was his cardigan, and shoes and socks. His eyes were already closing once the shower went on.

Q showered quickly and changed into the pyjamas, cotton and soft like the cardigan. He found a new toothbrush in the cabinet and took the liberty of using it before finishing up and peered out, the towel limp over his head and damp hair.

James looked to be asleep and so the man padded barefooted silently into the room, just a little awkward.

James was already asleep, curled up in one side of the soft duvet, but he heard Q tip toe in and patted the other side of the bed. "Plenty of room. Sleep," he managed, before drifting off again.

Agents and their too keen senses. 

"Goodnight," he whispered, dimming the light some before settling down. The bed was nice enough, and after watching the other man for sometime, James's features illuminated under the yellow light of the street lamp outside that was filtering in through the window, then fell asleep himself.

James woke first, and opened his eyes one at a time until he remembered who was in bed with him. He tip toed out of bed and started water, before retrieving the groceries that had been left outside the door. He could make eggs and other things later, but for now he put on toast to go with the aspirin, his shoulder protesting in the London damp morning.

He hadn't remembered to ask Nathan how he liked his tea, so he arranged sugar, milk, and lemon slices on a plate beside the cup so he could use whatever he liked. A plate of toast, with cups of butter and jam, and he returned to the bedroom to put it beside Nathan for when he woke.

Nathan's eyes flickered open when the light touched his face in the wrong direction, and jerked when he saw somewhat before his bleary, limited vision. 

And the night before came rushing back, drawing a surprised breath from his lungs. "Hey... you feeling better?"

"On the mend," James put Nathan's glasses on him, tucking wisps of hair away behind his ears. "Get some more rest, it's early. I just needed toast with my aspirin, thought you might fancy some."

"Oh..." his brain was still too addled with sleep to respond properly. "Thank you..." He frowned, trying to focus. "Do you want something to go with the toasts? I can make something, since the groceries are here."

"Later," James smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Rest. And if you fancy a cuddle, I'm getting back in bed."

Nathan stopped rubbing his eye then. "Only if you want to?" He said, looking up at James through eyes still heavy with sleep.

"I'd like that," James swallowed, a flash of vulnerability showing across his face. 

He climbed back into bed and spooned behind Nathan, one arm under his head, the other tucking the duvet around them both. 

"Is this alright?"

Nathan leant back into James with a sigh and nodded. "Yes." He placed a hand on top of James's own that was brushing over his shoulder. "You took the sling off..."

"Had to bring in the grocery box and find the bread, I'll put it back on later," James nuzzled the warm skin at the back of his neck, soft hairs brushing his collar.

"I slept really well next to you, thank you for staying," he whispered.

Nathan shivered, James's hot breath brushing over his nape. He took the man's injured arm carefully and placed it on his lap so it could rest well enough. "I slept well, too. Thank you for offering me to stay... and for dinner and your understanding," he said softly. Part of him had expected that James would change his mind by the time he had woken up the following day, and he was glad that he was wrong so far. 

"Why wouldn't I be understanding? It's you, you've always been trustworthy in my ear," James whispered, stubble scratching across Nathan's ear. 

That drew a breath from him. Both the words and the action accompanying them. "Well, it's not everyone's cup of tea. I may be trustworthy in your ear, but that doesn't really guarantee the fact that you'll be okay with this. Just a second." He leant to the bedside table where his tea that James had brought him was and made himself one—sugar, lots of it, and a dash of lemon—because he needed his mental capacity to keep on talking so early in the morning, then settled back carefully. 

"I really do want to try, Nathan," James said softly. "I wasn't lying."

Nathan blew and sipped on his tea slowly then nodded, turning so he could have a look at James. "I would like to try with you, too... I wasn't lying about that either."

"Just tell me what you're ready for," James sat up against the pillows and found his reading glasses. "I don't want to presume."

It was odd, seeing James slipped reading glasses on. They seemed to soften the edges of agent that he was and gave him a more... regal air. And Nathan found his lips quirking up a little. 

"Sex is fine with me as long as we don't rush and progress there organically," he replied, just wanting to put it out there because he might as well get it done and over with. "The rest is just... whatever that people do in a relationship." 

Strange. He tasted the words on his tongue, and still, a part of his mind could scarcely believe that he was here cuddling against James Bond after spending a night eating Thai takeaway and sleeping in the same bed with him. 

"What are you ready for, and what are your expectations?" Nathan asked in turn, looking over to where he had left his watch the night before, satisfied that at least he still had some time left.

"I don't have any expectations really? I'm not sure what proper ones would be, do I go by the teenage rule of one base per date?" He quirked a smile.

"Please don't," Nathan snorted a small chuckle. "I guess we'll have to blindly stumble through as best as we can then." He thought about it for a moment, half-drained tea mug cradled in his hands. "Are you allergic to cats? If so then you can't come over to my flat, if you ever decide to, of course."

"Not allergic to anything as far as I know," James shrugged. "What do... Civilians do when they date? It's been so long I don't remember."

Nathan nodded, glad, even, if he would admit it to himself. "Well, I'm not an expert by any means, but... I don't know, they go to the cinemas, grab drinks together, or just lounge around all day and watch telly together." His face scrunched up some as he tried to think. "They spend time together and do whatever they enjoy."

"Alright," James nodded. "So you'll have to tell m what you enjoy. I build models in my spare time, and I read. I keep a journal, but it's in my gun safe and only opens with a biometric eye scan."

Processing and storing the information away, Nathan started telling James about himself as well. "I read, too. And I either play video games or watch the telly when I'm in the mood. I sketch and cuddle my cats. Sleep is a legitimate hobby, and I try to do all these whenever I'm not working on some sort of projects that spill over from Six." But he tried to remember the last time he actually did any of this, other than sleep, and came up with a blank, so he waved it away quickly.

"We'll have to schedule a lazy day of breakfast in bed, and telly and reading when you're free," James smiled and refilled Nathan's cup, remembering the lemon and sugar. "Are you on at work today, or can I cook for you?"

"I am on at work," he said, rather wistful since he knew his time here would be cut off soon. "Thank you." He accepted the cup gratefully. "You're coming in later for a briefing, too, right?"

"Yes, how about if I drive in with you, go for the briefing, and take you to lunch?" James offered. "And I'll have dinner ready and pick you up. It's Saturday night, there's a good live jazz band at the hotel on the corner, we can go have drinks after."

Nathan thought about it, then nodded. "If you're not too tired. But I can just drive myself to work. That way, you'll get to rest more; I'll have to stop by my flat anyway."

"I can wait in the car, or meet your cats if that's alright?" James offered. "We can get fresh croissants on the way."

"Okay. If you're fine with it then let's go." He smiled. 

They finished their toasts and tea, and Nathan cleaned away the cups and everything else to let James use the bathroom first before heading in to brush his teeth and change back into his rumpled clothes from the day before.

When he emerged, he watched James, and asked softly, "Do you want me to help?" The injury in his arm, and the fact that he had taken off his sling just now, wasn't helping with his mobility.

"If you can help me put the sling back on, and a shirt? I feel bloody ridiculous," James sighed, trying to brush his hair with one hand.

Nathan nodded and went over to pick up the shirt and helped James slowly get into it, starting with the injured arm first. "You're not ridiculous," he said, fixing the shirt so it fit nicely as it should around James and buttoning it up. The man's body was a work of art, all well sculpted muscles underneath scarred skin, and he had picked the navy blue suit that Nathan had always found quite fetching on him. 

He smoothed down everything one last time and settled James's arm into its sling. "Okay? Nothing too painful?" he asked, just to be sure.

"No, that's... That's good," James leaned back against the wall and sighed.

"Pills?" Nathan asked, looking around and trying to remember where he had seen the man keep his drugs. Not in the cabinet above the sink, that was for sure. Subconsciously, he placed his hand on James's forehead to feel a fever and found none. 

"I'm alright," James opened his eyes. "I'm just... Not used to someone being so careful with me. I get treated like I'm invincible."

Nathan was quiet as he watched James. "You're not invincible," he said. "You're human, and you're a person with a personality, not just a code name or designation. They may treat you like you mean nothing, but that's not how I see you." That was not how he saw any of his agent, and this was why he stayed and monitored their missions as much as he could. Because they deserved that much from him, from Six, and he'd do anything to see them come home.

"Thank you," James squeezed his hand. "It's been a long time since someone saw me that way."

It was wrong, Nathan knew. Picking orphans and giving them supports then treating like breathing weapons. Expendable. But he was also the person to order deaths and explosions on people and buildings in far off lands and watch them die and burn to the ground, too. He was no better, he knew; his moral compass was screwed, and it was just the job. The job wouldn't hire anyone less. 

He nodded. He didn't think about the times when James had come too close to becoming one of the many casualties that a Q shouldn't worry about. "They're fools not to treat you as you should be treated," he said instead. "Ready to leave?"

James nodded and kissed his fingers, shouldering Nathan's bag for him.

"I've got it," Nathan insisted. He was always nervous without his laptop close to him anyway, right within his reach. It was almost a tic that he wouldn't admit to anyway. Perhaps James saw through this but never questioned it when Nathan took the bag from him and got it over his shoulder instead. "You focus on keeping your arm in the sling."

James locked his flat and they were down to street level in no time. In this part of town, Nathan wasn't surprised to see not too many people around, despite the hour. He checked his car, unlocked it, and got it, not driving away until James had had his seat belt on.

"What do you fancy for dinner?" James asked with a grin. "I'll even follow the recipe."

Nathan smiled. "I don't know." He couldn't think of anything off the top of his head. "Whatever you want. I'm not picky. Or allergic." As far as he could tell anyway. 

They grabbed breakfast at the corner café James had told him about, and the croissants did taste heavenly, butter and thins layers upon one another.

"I'll see what I can do then," James smiled. "There are a few dishes I like cooking, I'll see what fresh ingredients they have at the market."

"Your place or mine?" He asked, flashing the blinker and taking a right. They were almost there.

"Well, you should check in on your cats... whichever works for you," James shrugged. "All I probably need is a frying pan and a pot... do you have any cooking utensils?"

Nathan hummed. He appreciated that James took his cats into account. "I do," he nodded. He cooked just fine as long as he didn't allow himself to grow distracted. 

They turned to the car park of another one of those Six vetted buildings—average but safe, was what they had called it—and got out.

"Can I carry anything for you?" James offered, not wanting to  overstep boundaries. 

Nathan was struggling a box full of small electronic parts along with his bag, and he blinked at James, pausing. He had always been doing this alone anyway, so it never occurred to him to ask. "Uh..." He frowned, letting the box rest on the boot, then handed over his bag after a few long seconds. "Hold this for me, and I'll open the door for us later." He smiled.

"Of course," James nodded. "Tell me about your cats? What do I need to know to impress them?"

Nathan laughed a little as they went inside. He got his ID out to open the front door first as they went to the lift. "They'll sell themselves out for treats and pets, so you need not worry." 

The lift whirred slightly loudly and brought them both to the top floor. "I'll enter you into the identification matrix," Nathan began. "I installed micro cameras into the peep hole that monitor the outside environment and act as retinal scanners at the same time." He held the box closer to him and used his free hand to enter a combination of numbers into the keypad. "It doesn't matter what you enter while the system is in normal mode as long as you get all five of your fingerprints onto it, otherwise you'll get quite a nasty shock. But it's a different matter when it's running in lock-down, and I'll tell you about it later on." 

The door clicked open after that, and he pushed in.

"I'll be sure to be careful," James nodded. "I know that your security is the best, and I don't want to run afoul of it." James put the bag carefully down on a chair as Nathan turned on the lights. "Wow, you've done a lot to make your flat feel more comfortable than mine. I've been slacking."

Nathan scoffed softly. "It's a mess," he said. There were books and papers on every available surface, ones that weren't cramped on the bookshelves at any rate. Some papers had spilt onto the floor, but they weren't of any consequence, and before he could barely took his shoes off, his two cats were already there, yowling their distress at his absence while pressing up to his legs and essentially trying to trip him. 

Nathan abandoned the box. "Hello, boys." He greeted them affectionately, a munchkin and a Turkish van. "This is James. He's going to be here more often, so be nice to him, okay? And James, this is Oscar and Turing."

"Hello Oscar, hello Turing, I'm pleased to meet you," James sat down on the floor and allowed the two to clamor for his attention. "Aren't you two handsome?"

Nathan smiled, scratching their backs gently. "Aren't they? It took them a while to fill in their frames but once they did..." he sighed. "I don't know who could have had the heart to throw them away."

"Throw them away? They're quite exclusive breeds. Why would anyone do that?" James's disgust showed on his face. "Why would anyone throw away an innocent life? I understand when we go after terrorists and killers... but it takes a sociopath or psychopath to hurt animals and children."

"I don't know what happened." Nathan sighed. "Perhaps something happened to their previous owner and whoever they ended up with next didn't particularly like them or the supposed hassle that they brought." Either way, it was still a disgusting and horrendous thing to do. 

He picked both of them up easily in his arms. "Come and sit down at the sofa with them. I'll change quickly." 

Clearing the sofa quickly. He deposited the felines into James's lap with a smile. 

"Hello you two," James scratched each under the chin in turn, earning a mrrp of contentment. "I don't think a better human could have found you, he's quite adept at saving us strays," he laughed aa Oscar perched on his shoulder.

Nathan heard that and smiled, heading inside his bedroom to change. 

There was a soft ping out in the living room and two preprogramed cleaning robots started working, vacuuming the floor of dust and cat hair, which was the main reason why the flat wasn't covered in layers of those in the first place. They went from the treadmill in the corner and spread out from there, coordinating with one another surprisingly well.

James's eyes widened as Turing jumped aboard one and rode it across the room, while Oscar stayed perched on his leg, chittering at it.

Nathan was out quickly, dressed in his usual off the rack, somewhat ill-fitting suit and went over to pet the Turkish Van that was still in James's lap. "He's never really liked the cleaning bots... but I'm not around enough to really do the cleaning," he explained and gave James a lint roller. "Sorry about the hair." He relieved James off the feline. "I didn't think about it when I gave them to you."

"Don't worry about it, it's only hair," James petted Oscar's head one last time and stood. "Don't Turkish Vans swim?"

"They do," Nathan smiled, stroking through Oscar's hair and kissing him on the head between his ears just as Turing hopped on to join in. "He loves it, and I let him swim in the tub... once a week? Have to keep a safety on the faucet, though, in case he gets cheeky and turn on the water himself."

"Oh, you little cad, Oscar," James chuckled. "You could bring him to the pool at Six."

Nathan chuckled when Oscar used his paws to hold his hand in place and started licking the back of it, and shook his head. "It's a common pool for you agents, so I don't think it's suitable to bring my cat there."

"We hardly use it as a toilet, and I'm sure that the chlorine would mitigate the cat dander, unless that would bother his fur," James shrugged. "It might be good for him to work off some steam and problem solving. It seems Turing is the techie of the pair."

"Turing is always really curious. And lazy sometimes. He likes to sit on the bots like you saw just now and just travels to wherever he wants." Nathan smiled fondly. "I'll think about it... though I don't really want to bring my cats in and distract people and neglect them when I myself get distracted by work." Not that he was doing worlds different right anyway, with him away a couple of days at a time, and even with a food and water dispensers, he knew too well that Oscar and Turing were lonely, too. 

He nuzzled them both and kissed them before trying to stand up. Oscar hadn't finished licking at his hand though. "Darling, I need to go to work." He looked at Nathan with those mismatched eyes and carried on with a challenging look on his face like he had said nothing. 

"You didn't come home and they missed you," James smiled. "Can I bribe you fine fellows with some seared ahi while I cook your Papa dinner tonight? We could even have a go at the tub, try playing fetch."

Something warm settled in Nathan's chest when James suggested he play with Oscar and Turing while making dinner here. It was an oddly domestic thought, and one he found he was starting to warm up to a lot. "Bribe them and there's no going back," Nathan warned. "They'll think you their bribe distributor, and you'll be doomed to that fate." He laughed to himself at that. "And I added you to the flat's security system. You just need to—" he leant to fetch his bad that he had left at his feet and retrieved a tablet, "—look here and let it scan your eyes." 

A program ran and he gave it over to James. Once James positioned the device at a good place, a blue light flashed. 

_ "Retinal Scan Complete," _ it flashed. 

"All right, you have access to my flat now, Mr Bond, and I hope you use it wisely," Nathan teased, finally extracting himself from Oscar's grip and Turing purring in his lap. He cooed at them some more before brushing most of the hair off from his trousers. "Let's go."

"You have..." James removed a whisker from his jacket sleeve. "There we go. How do you feel about lobster mac and cheese with black truffles, and a spinach pear salad?" 

Nathan laughed a little. "Thanks... And that sounds good." He smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

"I'll go shopping after my meeting," James stood and kissed Nathan's cheek. "Do you have any requests for dessert?"

He thought about it and said, "Something with chocolate." He smiled. "Ready to go?"

"Yes, can I kiss you one more time?" 

Nathan watched James through slow blinks of his eyes and nodded as he stepped in closer and pressed a kiss to the man's lips. The first one he had initiated. His cheeks flushed a little when he pulled away.

"You taste so sweet," James whispered. "Tell me what you're ready for tonight, Nathan? What should I bring?"

"I... Just bring yourself." Nathan licked his lips, which still tasted like James and the blend of tea that he had made for him. "We'll work the rest out?"

James nodded and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for giving me a try. I'm thrilled."

"You said it like you're a product," Nathan held James's hand. "But thank you, too, for understanding and for giving this a try, too, and for last night."

"Not a product, but you could have asked around and decided I wasn't worth the effort," James held the door open for him. 

The drive to Six was all too short, and James and Nathan parted at the elevators.

James found himself annoyed with Mallory's usual repertoire of questions, including why he didn't bring back his equipment.

By the time he checked his watch the fourth time, Mallory gave up.

"I see you've a hot lunch date," Mallory stood. "Do quit harassing the accounting women."

Eve looked up when he finally emerged, and smiled, "That turned out shorter than I think. Something important coming?"

"I have to meet someone, have a good lunch Eve," James left whistling, before meeting Nathan in the lobby. 

"Hello handsome," James kissed his cheek and opened the door for him. "What would you like for lunch?"

Some of the people there were looking at them, and he supposed it was very difficult not to notice James, and Nathan turned his attention back to man, the kiss still tingling on his cheek. "Did Mallory chew you up thoroughly for not bringing back your equipment, or do I have to intervene?" He paused. "I think I'm having a bit of a craving for... Sushi?"

"He told me, and I quote :'Six does not run an inventing service for disposable tech, 007'. He also told me to stop chasing the skirts in accounting. There's excellent sushi just around the corner."

"Two points that you should keep in mind." Nathan agreed. "Honestly, James, I have seen you throw state-of-the-arts technology at your opponents."

"Well... I'm trying," James smiled sheepishly. "And I wasn't about to tell him who I was taking to lunch."

"Well, at this rate, he's going to know anyway," Nathan said, a smile tugging at his lips. The weather was nice enough, and they walked side-by-side on the street amidst the lunch crowd. He knew where this sushi bar James mentioned was, having gone there once or twice with Eve. "How's your arm feeling?"

"Better, not as stiff as this morning," James greeted the waitress in Japanese. "Would you like to sit outside, or in, Nathan?"

"Outside," he replied, his eyes watching how James interact fluidly with the waitress before they were led out to one of the tables out in the patio and left with two menus and a promise of their soon-arriving drinks.

"I don't get much chance to practice my Japanese in London," James smiled. "I hope it wasn't too rude of me."

Nathan shook his head. "Absolutely not. I like watching such interactions myself." He smiled. 

When the waitress returned, they placed their orders and Nathan asked for a bowl of udon, too, before settling back. "This is nice." He smiled, the wind brushing through their hair.

"You're lovely," James said softly, watching him. "You look so much different out of doors."

The sudden compliment had him just slightly embarrassed, and Nathan smiled. "More like a real, breathing human being, right?" he chuckled.

"Well, more like something from fairy actually," James touched his hand.

Nathan blushed a reddening shade of pink. His fingers twitched in James's hold, but he didn't withdraw his hand.

He cleared his throat. "You flatter me." 

The waitress returned with their food, the sushi rolls perfectly aligned and prepared. 

"Not at all," James said fervently. "I find myself torn between wanting to know if you're real, and not wanting to wake up."

Nathan let out a slightly breathless, disbelieved laugh. "You've been interacting with me this whole time, James." As in, James had never been this infatuated before, and Nathan was sure the man had met more beautiful partners.

"But you... I can trust you, and you're lovely," James offered him a morsel of sushi, still not letting go of his hand.

Nathan leant in to catch the bite, licking at his lips a little once he had settled down to gathered the slightly smeared sauce, and smiled. "Oh. The hotate is good." 

He picked up his chopsticks and offered James a roll, too.

"Mmm, thank you," James smiled. "Are we actually surviving socializing?" He teased.

Nathan looked around conspicuously before leaning and whispering, "I think we are. Just don't draw more attention to ourselves." He grinned.

James laughed and nodded. "Anything to see that smile."

Nathan's grin softened into a smile at that. Honestly, such softness and overall sweetness from James were more than anything he had even suspected.

They finished the sushi, and Nathan ate his udon afterwards. "The broth is good," he said, "if you want to try it."

"Sure," James accepted a spoonful. "Oh, that is good. I suppose I'll have to venture out from the sushi and tempura."

"You should," Nathan chuckled. "What don't you like eating other than furry anchovies?"

"Raw tomatoes," James made a face. "Disgusting, vile, nastiness. The seeds remind me of snot."

Nathan snorted and burst out laughing, the expression on James's face priceless. "Well I'm sorry you have such a strong opinion against raw tomato," he chuckled. "Noted."

"Otherwise, I eat just about anything," James laughed.

Nathan nodded, committing this to memory. It was easy, talking to James like this. They weren't at Six (not quite), and there was no professional veils between then, and for now, no atrocities that came with their professions as well. Just James and Nathan, two men in a sushi bar, enjoying lunch. 

He smiled. "I can tolerate a bit of cinnamon, but not much another than that," he told James.

"I'll remember. Any objection to blueberry pancakes?" James checked. "They are my best breakfast recipe."

He shook his head. "That sounds nice, actually. I'll probably cook you something once I get enough time off to gather my wits about me." God knew the world was constantly going tits up in MI6, at one corner or another.

"I have more downtime between missions, I'm more than happy to cook," James paid and the waitress brought Nathan a box. "Wagashi, my favorite Japanese sweet," James smiled.

Nathan didn't even have enough time to swallow down the first bite before the woman already left with the paid bill. He looked at the box, and opened it. Inside are four hand-crafted sweets, beautiful and elegant at the same time, representing the seasons.

"Thank you. Enjoy them with me?" He offered. "And let me pay next time."

"Those are for you..." James smiled. "I'll make something decadent for dessert tonight we can share," he leaned over and kissed Nathan's cheek. "Maybe I'll let you pay next time... I'm trying to be a gentleman and do this right."

"Splitting the bill with me is not something wrong either," Nathan said, turning his head just so he could press a kiss to James's cheek too. "And I'm looking forward to your decadent of a dessert then." His smile turned cheeky as he closed the box up neatly as it was before, placing it back into the bag. "For now, I shall enjoy these later."

"Good, I'll walk you back, and get started on my shopping," James stood and offered him a hand.

Nathan blinked at the gesture and took it, just for the skin contact, before standing up. 

They left the bar and walked back, tracing the same path they had come from before. The crowd had diluted some, and Nathan kept the bag of sweet securely by his side without jostling its content. 

"Thank you for lunch," he finally said when they stopped at that midpoint between the carpark and the entrance. "I'll see you this evening again, then?"

"I'll pick you up at the elevators at six o’clock, my car is here," James smiled. "Have a good afternoon."

He watched Nathan walk away with a fond smile on his face, before going to the Aston Martin he'd parked in the basement.

He made short work of the grocery, including tuna for the cats, and ingredients to make Nathan lunches to take to work. He stopped at the florist for a bundle of calla lilies and bird of paradise, and got several bottles of wine at the off license.

Around four, Alec rang him using their personal mobile. "So, how did it go?" he said while running on the treadmill.

"Good, I'm cooking dinner for him actually," James smiled. "At his place. It was really nice. I took him to lunch as well."

Alec whistled. "That's a lot of progress," he said. "See? I told you taking it slow would be good." 

There was a sound like he had just hopped off the treadmill and switched to something else. "You've got it hard for this one if you're even trying to cook, James."

"I bought him flowers," James said so softly it could have been imagined. "And I'm making him lunch for the week."

Alec paused for a long second. "You're serious about him," he said softly; it wasn't a question. He shouldn't be surprised, what with James having been so invested in trying to approach Q, but... hearing all of this was the firmest confirmation he'd ever get out of James. "Is..." Alec ducked out of the room first. Although the other people in the gym were absorbed in their own workout routines and were metres away, it was better to still be discreet. "Is he as serious as you are?"

Because while people could say Double-Os were the ones who should be warned about not hurting their partners and not the other way around, Alec disagreed. Especially with what had happened with Vesper.

"I don't... It's a bit early," James tried to think of how to phrase it without making Alec curious about Nathan's personal story. "He's a bit shy, but I think so. He has a hard time trusting easily, so we're taking it slow. He did scold me for paying for lunch and introduce me to his cats. He stayed over last night, but we only slept and talked."

Alec took a bit of time to reconcile the image of their snarky and awkward quartermaster with "shy," as James had described him, but supposed that anyone was entitled to being shy when it came to having a relationship... with a Double-O at that, too. "Well, I'll be damned," Alec said with an emerging smile. "That's already more serious anything we've had for years combined."

"Oh fuck off," James laughed. "I did tell you I was making an effort. He's... He's wonderful, Alec. He treats me like I'm human."

Alec hummed. He might sound dismissive, but really, he was happy for James. "Good for you, mate. Now, I'll get back to my workout routine so you can practice your closet sappiness in peace, yeah?" He grinned.

"Arse," James smiled. "Any luck taking Eve out yet?"

"Still working on it," it was Alec's turn to sound a little frustrated. "At least she hasn't rejected the coffee I bring her. Any chance you can bribe our lovely quartermaster into putting in a few good words for me?"

"I'll ask, how serious should I tell him you're looking for?"

"Well..." Alec paused. "Maybe... serious  _ serious _ ?" He carded a hand through his hair and leant back against the wall with a sigh, brows forming a frown. "I mean, I don't even know if she'd let me date her."

"Well, it can't hurt to ask," James reminded. "She'd be lucky to have you, you're damn loyal as they come."

Alec snorted. "She has every right to be wary of field agents." He sighed. "Anyway. Tend to your dinner, lover boy. And I shall see you later."

"Goodnight, Alec," James hung up and dialed Nathan, stopping to toss the catnip ball that Oscar and Turing were chasing.

"Hey, Alec called me, he needs a favor."

Nathan, who was updating their firewalls, straightened. "What sort of favor?" He pressed the phone between his shoulder and ear and continued to finish his coding.

"He wants to ask Eve out, for something serious, and he's hoping you can put in a good word for him," James stopped to stir the pasta.

Nathan paused. "Oh," he said, then resumed his work. "Well, that's an interesting development." He thought about it with a frown. "It may involve a bit of bribery, but I suppose I can manage somehow. It's the matter of the amount of good words that needs to be considered."

"Well let me know what bribes work, and I'll have Alec bring them for both of you," James promised. "He seems quite... Unsure of himself."

"Oh, Eve is rather cautious of any more involvement with field agent after a certain dispatch to Macau," he said. "Just last year, I believe."

"After she made her remarks about teaching an old dog new tricks? I'm sure," James snorted. "She's far from my type."

Nathan hummed. "Well, I don't blame her for becoming a little infatuated with you. It's been rumored to be a phase people apparently go through."

"I'm sure they become infatuated with the rumors, and try to top them," James said quietly. "Lunch was the first time I'd been on a date off mission since... Venice."

Nathan briefly stopped typing again. "It was lovely, our lunch. I had a good time," he said. "And just so it's clear between the two of us, I am not pursuing this out of infatuation."

"Good... I don't stand up very well against my rumors," James admitted. "I'll pick you up at 6 o'clock?"

"Yes, I suppose so," Nathan began. "So far, you've stood up far better than what rumors about you would suggest." He smiled a little and glance and the clock on the far wall. "Sure. I'll meet you in the carpark then."

"Can't wait," James smiled. "Dinner will be waiting in the oven when we get back. Don't work too hard."

Nathan scoffed. "It's either one crisis or another, James. You should know; you contribute to the lot more often than not." He smiled. "I'll see you at six then." And he rang off. 

"I've been on my best behavior," James protested with a laugh. "See you then."

Nathan signed out at five forty-five, and R looked approving about this. He gathered his belongings and thought about 006 and Eve, and decided that a bit of sweets to open up the conversation at lunch the following day would be the best and most efficient way. 

The stiletto would come, but that was later on. 

After confirming that they were having lunch, Nathan went down to the car park, as promised, to wait for James. 

James was already there, a travel mug of tea in hand. He kissed Nathan on the cheek and opened the passenger door to the Aston Martin. 

"I hope you enjoy tonight," he said softly.

Nathan nursed the mug in his hand and smiled. "I think I will," he looked around the interior of the car first before turning his attention back to James. "I never asked if you liked it. I changed the design considerably." 

"I really do, she runs much smoother, and the seats are a huge improvement," James ran a hand over the dash. "I want to take a weekend trip up to Scotland when I have time. Maybe you could come with me, meet Kincaid, see the rubbish heap that's left."

Nathan watched how James was practically caressing the car, and he approved of it a lot, liking that the man did appreciate his part reconstruction, part recreation of the destroyed DB5. But really, this had gone beyond than just the usual touching up the gears, equipment, and paint job. The man barely brought back the steering wheel as it was. 

His suggestion, though, paused Nathan's musing as he turned to James. "You... you want me to go with you to Skyfall?" he asked slowly, his eyes blinking somewhat owlishly behind his glasses. He hadn't expected that. 

"Well... It's the closst I have to home, to a family, for you to meet," James swallowed. "My mother would have loved you."

 

If anything, Nathan was stunned by that last statement, and he nodded slowly once he had processed it. "Thank you... I'm glad that you think so, James," he said softly. "I would love to go to Skyfall and meet Kincade, if you're willing to take me there." 

 

Quietly, he placed his hand, warm from holding the travel mug, over James's own. 

 

"Let me know when you can take a long weekend, and we'll go," James squeezed his fingers. "Kincaid has a guest room in the game keeper's cottage, or we can stay in the bed and breakfast in the village."

 

Nathan found that he didn't mind the pressure James's finger were giving him, and he nodded. "I will." He probably wouldn't get a long weekend that would make it worth their while to drive all the way up to Scotland unless he either asked for it specifically, or something major enough happened that would require him to work to resolve it until Medical declared him unfit to return to work for a few days to come... Assuming that nothing would be called to his attention while he was away, that was. 

 

But he nodded anyway. They would manage it somehow, and there was no rush of it just yet. 

 

"So I took the liberty of packing you lunches for the week while I was cooking," James told him shyly. I'm "And I tried to be a little creative with each. So I... I hope you like it."

 

He blinked. "You... you pack lunches... for me?" A smile crept on his lips, cheeks tingling with warmth. This was the first time he saw what would come close as 'shy' on James face, and God, it was just as fetching as any others. "Thank you. Thank you, James... I think I'll like it a lot." 

 

"Well, I know you don't always get out of the office for food, and I thought at least this way you have something to bring," James gave him a sheepish look.

 

"Been observing me well, haven't you, Mr Bond?" Nathan chuckled. "Thank you. I mean it. It's been a long time..." he trailed off, raising the travel mug up to take a sip of tea. 

 

"I've been doing my best to notice," James smiled as he parked in front of Nathan's apartment. "I hope you don't mind, I did some cleaning up after myself."

 

"Oh, good. For a second there, I thought you were going to say you had done some cleaning up after me." Nathan chuckled as they got out of the car. "I really am sorry for the mess. I don't really expect company."

 

"No, hardly an effort. I just loaded the dishes in the dishwasher so we don't have to worry about them later. I'd rather be distracted by you."

 

Nathan laughed nervously. "I'm still sorry about the leftover dishes. I get either lazy or distracted." He smiled at James and slowly, tentatively, reached for his hand as they got into the building.

 

"I hope you like it," James watched him unlock the door. There was music playing, and candles lit. The flowers were in a vase, the table set, and the food smelled like a restaurant, waiting in the oven.

"Oh!" Taron looked around. "You even cleared up the dining table," he muttered under his breath. 

 

The music was soft and noninvasive in the background, and his eyes trailed to the flower vase (a vase he was sure he didn't have). "They're beautiful, James." He smiled, trailing along the elegant lilies and striking bird of paradise. "And dinner smells great."

 

"Let me take your sweater and pour you a glass of wine," James smiled. "I'm glad you're pleased."

 

Clearly, James had put a lot of thought into this, and Nathan was both embarrassed and happy. He took off his parka and watched James pour him a glass.

 

"Thank you," he smelt the fragrance from the wine before taking a sip. "It's good," he hummed. 

 

"Sit down, and I'll serve us," James smiled. 

 

He first set two plates on the floor from the oven with seared tuna for the cats, and then a bowl of creamy pasta, adorned with black truffles shavings and lobster for each of them.

 

"God, you really are bribing them very well," Nathan laughed, sitting down and trying not to fix his eyes onto James but found that he couldn't. Not even until James had sat down across from him. 

 

"Thank you. It looks too good." Really, his mouth watered at the scent and the food before his eyes. "You're positively spoiling me or something." 

 

James just squeezed his hand and gestured to the plate. "It's about time someone treated you well," he murmured, self conscious.

 

The cats were purring loudly, attacking their dinner.

 

Nathan smiled, the tingling atmosphere warming his skin. He brought James's hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to its knuckles. "I hope I'm treating you well, too." 

"I couldn't be any happier," James fed him a spoonful of pasta. "I didn't think hard liquor would do for later, but it would have been a shame to serve truffles and lobster without wine," James poured more into his glass.

 

"Good choice," Nathan agreed, an obscenely pleased noise that was borderline moaning when he finally had a taste of the pasta. "You had me fooled about your cooking skills, James," he accused halfheartedly, feeding James a spoonful of it, too.

 

"I'm rubbish at certain things..." James shrugged. "But... I was in Venice, not working. I took some cooking lessons. Only bright point of the trip, looking back."

 

"Well, I have to say that you have more than just average cooking skills." He smiled. "I've never travelled out of Britain, let alone taking cooking lessons abroad."

 

"I make toast too," James smiled. "I do a decent fry up... But mostly Italian food. Save room for dessert though."

 

Nathan huffed softly at James, mirth in his eyes. "Really..." he ate more of the pasta, savouring the taste. "This is wonderful, James."

 

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," James braved a smile. "And I made chocolate lava cake for dessert."

 

God, that sounded too good. "I could almost give you an exploding pen for that," he chuckled before place a tentative hand on James's own. "What's wrong?"

 

"I don't want to disappoint you, and lose you," James whispered. "I don't know how to do this right."

 

There was a vulnerability and openness in James's expression that he had never before, and it took Nathan's breath away as much as it squeezed his heart. "There's no fixed way to go about a relationship, James. No checkbox to tick, or another thing to cross from the list..." He shook his head. "I don't know much about this at all, but I think we can manage it together?"

 

James gave him an unsure smile. "I hope so."

 

Nathan smiled back. "I hope so, too." 

 

James offered him another bite of food, and the cats wandered over to sit beneath the table and wash their faces.

 

They ate and finished dinner, and Nathan offered to clear the dishes while James fetched them their dessert. 

 

"I've got it," James smiled. "Already have a sink of soapy water waiting," he disappeared into the kitchen, and returned with a bubbling chocolate lava cake.

"You're sufficiently spoiling me," Nathan smiled, his attention drawn by the lava cake, completed by a dust of powdered sugar on top and juicy raspberries on the side. That was enough to have him bite his own lower lip. Simple pleasures. "Share it with me," he said, and it reminded him of the sweets James had bought for him on lunch that he had savored only hours before. "And the wagashi was very nice, too."

"I'm glad you liked it," James smiled and poured them each a mug of tea to go with the cake. "I'll think of something different for the next meal I make for you."

"It doesn't have to be something intricate," Nathan said. "I can appreciate simple dishes much myself."

"I enjoyed it," James shrugged. "I rarely cook more than a curry for just myself. It was nice to have someone appreciate a talent I have other than being a 00 agent."

Nathan nodded. "I'm aware. But you should also know that you don't have to constantly perform around me to keep me impressed." His spoon sliced through the cake easily, and the molten chocolate inside oozed out in a thick, rich stream. He fed James a bite. "Unless you want to do it, you don't have to keep doing anything for the sake of thinking it'll please me."

"But I want to do things that please you, things that make you smile," James protested, licking a smudge of chocolate off Nathan's finger. "I get the feeling no one has done that for you before."

The motion of James's tongue drew a breath from his lungs, heat rushing to his cheeks. But Nathan shrugged. "True, but then again, I'm not the sort of person who stands around and just let people pamper me," he said, an odd combination of words. "Besides, I'd like to do you things that would make you happy and smile, too."

 

"Oh... I..." James hook his head. "No one has ever asked me that before."

Slowly, Nathan reached out a hand to place on James's cheek. "Well, there's me now. Nothing much, but it's a start, yes?" He smiled.

"It's like it's christmas, it means a lot," James nuzzled his palm. "Can I take you to bed, Nathan?"

Nathan licked his lips. He wondered what James would think when he finally saw Nathan undress for the first time, but he supposed they'd find that out now. "Okay." He nodded.

James stood and offered him a hand up, pausing to kiss the corner of his mouth. "Thank you," he whispered, leading him along to the bedroom.

 

He'd left candles lit, and the lights off, a clean pair of sheets he'd found in the linen cupboard on the bed.

For a wild second after the door to his bedroom closed shut, Nathan wondered if James would just take him to bed this one night and be off the next morning. However, everything about the man, his posture, his expression, his words and action the entire time since the day before, dispelled that thought from his mind. No... this was as intimate to James as it was to him, and even if things wouldn't work out in the end, he was at least sure that James wasn't in this just to have a one nightstand with him. 

 

The scented candle was nice, and he stepped closer to pressed a soft kiss to James's lips.

"You taste good, sweet," James whispered, hands deftly unbuttoning Nathan's shirt. He led him backwards to the bed and sat him on the edge, kneeling front of him to take off his shoes and socks.

"Probably the chocolate you just fed me," Nathan chuckled, watching James. "You're very determined to take care of me..."

James's fingers chased along the quickly exposing skin as the shirt slipped of Nathan's shoulders. There were scars where he had had his top surgery, pale and only somewhat visible, and where he had had his hysterectomy on the abdomen. He looked at James, gauging his expression, trying to see if the man liked what he saw or not.

"Look at you, you're so gorgeous," James buried his face against the expanse of pale skin, breathing him in.

 

Drawing in a soft breath, Nathan shuddered softly, his fingers weaving into James's short hair, heat running up along his spine and spreading at the back of his neck. Gently, he pulled James's up, cupping his cheeks, and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Can I take off the rest?" James whispered, kissing the ivory column of Nathan's throat.

Nathan only paused for a little before nodding, James's lips leaving a trail of fire down his neck. "Yes... please." He reached to begin undoing the buttons on James's shirt as well, hands brushing over warm skin and the scars that had accumulated on the other man's body from all the missions he had gone through. 

 

James slid the underwear off him slowly, giving Nathan every chance to change his mind. "Let me know if you want me to stop?" James said softly, tracing a finger over the wiry thatch of hair.

 

He bent and kissed Nathan, tugging at the hairs with his lips tracing his tongue over the curve of Nathan's hip.

"Of course," Nathan breathed. He focused on the sensation and the expression on James's face at the same time. He had kept himself trimmed and clean-shaven, and the fact that James didn't seem to outwardly have any problems with what he was seeing relaxed him a lot as he made a soft sound in the back of his throat, James's hot tongue making gooseflesh rise on his skin.

James moved as slowly as he could, his own erection aching. He slid the underwear off, and buried his face between Nathan's legs breathing him in with a moan. 

 

He traced his tongue down one side and up the other before stopping to suck on Nathan's cock, swollen and red, standing up from the testosterone and the attention.

 

Nathan gasped, his back arching off the bed, hands clutching at the sheets with the heat of James's tongue and mouth like a point of pleasure that left him shivering.

James ground down against the sheets, impossibly hard himself. He kept his face between Nathan's legs, the flavor intoxicating.

Moaning, Nathan tugged James on the shoulder some to get him to move up so he could kiss him again, tasting himself on those lips. "It's okay if you want to penetrate me, James," he whispered, nipping along the man's neck. "I'm fine with it." 

 

"I... Let me make you come like this first?" James blushed and mumbled something against Nathan's shoulder.

Something which Nathan didn't quite catch. "What was that?" he asked softly, adjusting it slightly so they were face-to-face once more as he looked at James with a smile, peppering kisses onto his lips and the corners of his mouth. 

"I came going down on you, I need a few minutes recovery time," James kissed him back. "And I need to get my sticky pants off," he sighed ruefully.

"Just give me a bit, I'm quite sure I'll be fine to go again," James slid off the sticky pants, and kissed Nathan's throat. "Gods... The way you taste. You make me feel fifteen again," he teased a finger between Nathan's legs.

Nathan smiled and wanted to say that he was quite sure James would be fine soon, considering his refractory time, but that was cut off when the man pressed his lips to Nathan's throat again. He arched his neck back to grant the man more access, this had always been one of his more sensitive parts, and rolled his hips back against that finger that was both enticing and not enough at the same time with a moan. 

"Nathan..." James whispered softly, reverently. He traced a finger across Nathan's opening. "Gods... I love sucking you," he rubbed his thumb across the head of Nathan's cock, plump from the arousal and wet from his mouth.

Nathan cursed softly, hips canting up for more pressure, toes curling as the pleasure pooled in his groin. His hands roamed along James's body, too, wanting to give the man much-deserved attention, kissing and tracing his fingers over the pebbled nipples under his ministrations. 

"So gorgeous," James groaned, sliding two fingers into him. "You're the best of all worlds." 

Nathan stiffened a little at that. "I rather hope I'm only the best as a man," he told James softly. 


	2. Chapter 2

"I meant to say... I rather put my foot in my mouth there. I'm sorry," James winced.

Something in Nathan's eyes softened as he brought James's face up and kissed him slowly. "Don't worry... We're both learning here. I didn't mean to chastise you..."

 

"I thoroughly deserved it," James whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." Nathan smiled, holding him close. "Permission to carry on, 007." He chuckled quietly. 

 

James nodded, and kissed Nathan gratefully. He moved his fingers, searching, trying to find just the right angle.

 

Nathan moaned when those fingers simultaneously brushed over the sensitive nerves of his walls as well as his tumescent cock. He leaned up and nipped along James's neck. 

 

"You feel amazing," James whispered. "I can't wait to feel you come."

 

James's fingers curled and Nathan bucked a little under the pressure as he licked his lips, flushing from the gruff, husky words. "Close already," he whispered back. 

 

"Tell me what you like?" James asked, running his thumb over Nathan's swollen cock.

 

"Kiss me," Nathan growled, pulling James closer. They kissed deeply and passionately, and James's tongue was rubbing at the roof of his mouth as well, deft fingers pushing in and out of him, thumb brushing over his cock, and just like that, combined with the warmth from the proximity they shared, Nathan came with a soft gasp, head thrown back in a throaty moan. 

 

James let him ride it out, kissing the moans from his throat. Nathan's legs were shaking with aftershocks, and James sucked a dark bruise onto his collarbone.

 

That got his breath hitching, and Nathan sighed, nuzzling into James like his own two cats and kissing him gently, one hand rubbing up and down between the man's shoulder blades. 

 

"Wow," James sighed. "I could get addicted to making you come."

 

Nathan was stroking through James's hair almost lazily. He hummed. "Should I use that to bait you to bring your equipment and yourself back in one piece for me?" he teased, gazing into those blue, blue eyes. 

 

"Yes, you absolutely should," James teased the scruff on his chin across Nathan's nipples. "I'll do anything you ask to go down on you again."

 

"You say it like I'd abstain myself to make sure you'd behave." Nathan hissed softly when James's stubble grazed over his nipples. He grinned, using his muscles to flip them and begin to descend on James's neck and clavicle, biting and sucking and licking. 

 

"I hope you'll indulge as often as you like," James whispered, hands cupping Nathan's arse and pulling him against his erection. "Gods you're wet... Dammit," he moaned softly, sucking on Nathan's earlobe.

 

The brush of James's cock against his own sparked another note of arousal in him, and Nathan let out a shaky breath. "Your body is a work of art, James," he said, hands roaming in appreciation. He leant down and began kissing at all the prominent scar one by one, gently, as though afraid that they were hurting still, mindful of James's arm. "I'll indulge as much as you're comfortable with." He smiled, pushing back into James's hand that was kneading his arse, hips rolling so James's erection was sliding against him, movement aided in that wet heat. 

 

"Fuck," James breathed, his cock more than eager at Nathan's heat. "I'm going to make an idiot of myself and come the minutes I get inside you," he groaned.

 

Nathan chuckled breathlessly. "Patience." He pressed a kiss to James's lips before reaching for his drawer and the tube of lube. He squeezed a generous amount out, rubbed it some in his hands, and began spread it along James's shaft, the organ hot and twitching a little. "Okay?" 

 

"Yes," James buried his head against Nathan's neck. "Fuck."

 

Nathan wrapped his hand around James's base and squeezed it a little and began kissing him gently along his skin to give him time to cool down. 

 

"You're a bloody menace," James sighed, arching against him.

 

"Well, I've never claimed to be anything less." Nathan chuckled and took the chance to suck on James's pebbled nipple. "At least you're not feeling so much like coming prematurely, yes?" 

 

"Yes... I think I can last more than a thrust or two," James reached up to tangle his fingers into Nathan's curls. "You're a hedonist's dream, soft skin and silky hair."

 

"Yes... I think I can last more than a thrust or two," James reached up to tangle his fingers into Nathan's curls. "You're a hedonist's dream, soft skin and silky hair."

 

James ran a hand down the flat stomach and groaned softly. "Nathan... God dammit."

 

The girth of James's cock burnt deliciously, and he arched into the touch of those hands. "Yes?" He groaned, keeping his breathing as even as he could, lips quirking upward, and leant in to kiss the other man sweetly.

 

"You feel incredible," James sighed, trying to stay still as Nathan adjusted to him. 

 

Nathan smiled and started to move up and down, making sure that the motion brushed over his own cock as well, and he kissed James all over. "You feel incredible, too," he murmured, setting them a gradually, comfortable pace. 

 

"Glad I meet with your approval, better chance of a repeat," James fingered Nathan's cock, mouthing at his neck as he shivered.

 

He gasped, squeezing around James a little under the stimulation. "It's just a tease, James," he reassured the man. "But really, if you're this conscious about the gold-star system I've established for you agents every time you bring back your equipment, I won't have to keep sitting in those dreary meetings to make sure they aren't cutting our budget." He kissed James deeply. 

 

"I'll do my best," James chuckled. "I'd much rather you have spare time for things like this, rather than overtime for budget meetings," he rolled his hips up against Nathan.

 

"Good," Nathan chuckled. "I approve of this." He groaned moving earnestly now, reaching to place those hands on his hips. "Move with me."

 

"Will you come for me?" James traced his fingers over Nathan's skin, teasing around his cock to draw out the sensations.

 

Nathan whimpered and arched. He continued to move for a few more times before coming with a sigh, shuddering all over and clinging onto James for purchase.

 

James let himself relax and come, Nathan's breaths loud in his ear. He ended up curled around Nathan, holding onto him.

 

"That was great," Nathan murmured once he had regained his voice, pressing kisses to James's cheek and ear. He let James slip out and roll off of the man with a sigh. "Let me go fetch a flannel." 

 

"Wait a minute," James pulled him back for another kiss. "There, now you can go."

 

Nathan flushed and smiled broadly, nodding. He went into the bathroom and cleaned up first before coming out with a fresh, warm flannel to begin wiping James down. "Thank you for tonight," he said, pecking him on the lips. 

 

"No, thank you," James tucked a lock of Nathan's hair behind his ear. "That was the best evening I've had."

 

Nathan leant into the hand and nodded. "Simple pleasures." He tossed the flannel away toward the general direction of the bathroom once he was done. "Do you sleep naked, or...?" His eyes trailed to the closet. "I think I can rummage something decent enough for you to wear if you'd prefer it."

 

"If you don't mind sleeping naked, I love how your skin feels," James ran his fingers over Nathan's shoulders. "I'd love to hold you."

 

Nathan nodded. "Naked only until it gets colder." He smiled and settled down next to James, pulling the blanket up to cover them. 

 

"I'm a bit of a heater, let me know if it's too much," James smiled and laid his head next to Nathan's on the pillow. "Sweet dreams."

Nathan hummed, snuggling close after a moment. "I can get used to this," he sighed playfully. "Sweet dreams to you, too." 

 

James nodded, throat tight. "I hope you'll give me a chance."

Nathan pressed a kiss to the man's chest right over where his heart was beating inside. "You said it yourself, James. This was never meant to be a one-night stand," he replied softly. "And I've agreed to it as much."

 

"You might change your mind... I wouldn't blame you," James said softly, tracing Nathan's shoulder.

Nathan sighed. "We don't know how the future would unfold, James... And I would rather not be chained by what-ifs and not be able to enjoy our present..." He held the man that bit tighter in his arms. They would never know whether Nathan or James himself would change his mind when the time finally came.

 

"I don't... I don't think I'll change my mind," James whispered softly. "The more time I spend with you, the more I'm sure that I want to be beside you.,"

 

Nathan curled up in James's arms once more, soothed by the incredible warmth that his body heat provided. "I can live with that," he whispered softly, stroking a hand up and down James's back. "I want to spend my time beside you, too." If the night they had just spent together had been any indication of what a life with this lonely man could possibly be, then he was more than happy with it. 

 

James nodded and they fell asleep holding each other.

 

No one at Six dared say a word when the Quartermaster started leaving for dinner on days there were no critical missions, least of all Alec, who was busy trying to impress Eve.

 

Mallory raised an eyebrow when James expressed a desire to work on short term assignments and domestic missions only, but the returned equipment and no exploding embassies made it a worthwhile idea to entertain.

"Are you sure?" Q asked the second James walked into his office and locked the door behind him. Of course he had heard what just transpired, even if Mallory was still debating it. "It's... it's not a requirement, James. If you're doing this because you think it'll make me feel more comfortable, then you shouldn't at all."

"It's not to make you more comfortable, I want to do everything I can to come home to you," James said softly. "There's no one is rather have in my ear. But I want to sleep next to you at night."

Q rounded his desk and considered James carefully. "I know you enjoy the job, James," he said slowly. "Would you be all right... just falling back to domestic missions?"

 

"Not going out and seducing random people... Knowing more likely than not we'd have a much longer life together? I think I'd be more than alright... If you'd want me around?" He asked softly.

Q sighed and wrapped his arms around James, kissing him fully since they were in the privacy of his office. "Of course I want you around, you silly man." He smoothed his fingers along James's hair. "You know Mallory will not hesitate to call you if they need your help, right?"

 

"I know, and that's fine. But leave the routine dare devil missions to the new recruits. I have a cat to take swimming, and a mortgage to help you worry about," James kissed him. "Speaking of which, Oscar is swimming laps with Alec in the pool."

 

Q blinked. "What? You..." No, he was not aware that James had brought Oscar here. "I..." He blushed, for some inexplicable reason. "Thank you... Is he enjoying it?" 

 

"He's having a blast, and Alec is earning bonus points with Eve, yes a win win," James smiled.

 

"That's good then." Nathan chuckled and hugged James. "Thank you..." 

 

"Of course," James squeezed him, and tilted Nathan's chin up for a kiss. "I love you," he whispered softly. "You don't have to say it back, I just want you to know."

 

Nathan stared at James, throat tight all of a sudden, before nodding and pressing back for yet another kiss. "I love you, too." He smiled, brightly and contentedly. 

 

James grinned and squeezed him. "You know, I heard a rumour that some agents marry their quartermasters?"

 

Nathan swayed in James's arms. "Really?" he hummed. "Wherever did you hear that?" 

 

"Oh, here and there... A t shirt I think," James bumped their noses together.

 

Nathan gazed into James's blue,  _ blue  _ eyes, and smiled. "A t-shirt?" he stroked the man's cheek. "Where is this specimen of a t-shirt then?" 

 

"009 bought it for R," James admitted. "Would you say yes, if I asked?"

 

Nathan licked his lips. "It's long-term commitment, James," he said, silently asking if James were sure. 

 

"Have we spent a night apart?" James asked softly.

 

"Not yet so far," Nathan replied, which was quite a testament in itself, as they had been together for three months now.

 

"When you decide you're ready for something more... Official... Check your desk drawer," James winked.

 

Nathan paused, eyes widening some before he detached himself from James quick enough to go over to his desk drawer and pull it out. Inside, there was a black velvet box tucked away in the back, and he was back to James, the small box weighing more than he thought it should. He could hardly form words. 

 

"Open it for me?" he whispered. 

 

Inside was nestled a simple gold band with a fingerprint inscribed on it, James's.

 

The engagement band was beautiful, and Nathan looked at it for a long time, processing that this was his and his alone before taking it out of its padding, slid the box from James's hold, and replaced it with the gold band. "If you would put it on for me?" he asked, voice wavering just so with a tentative  smile. 

 

James nodded and slipped it on Nathan's ring finger, before kissing his hand. "Will you do me the honor of marrying me?" He asked softly.

 

Nathan nodded, eyes bright and shimmering just a little. But then, no one was there to watch anyway. "If you'd take me... Yes, James." 

 

"If I'd take you?" James picked him up and spun him around. "If you'll take ME, and bother to teach an old dog new tricks."

 

Nathan couldn't but laugh a little, settling into James's arms that had become so familiar and warm these past months. "You're not  _ that _ old," he said once his feet had touched the floor once more. "I'm sure you can learn some new tricks after all." He grinned. "At least you're bringing your equipment back now." 

 

"Maybe I just needed the right incentive," James dipped him and kissed him. "Come on, I'm stealing you early. Let's go get Oscar and Turing."

 

Nathan nodded, fond. "Let's. Or Turing will be positively miffed." He chuckled, imagining those cute little short legs fumbling to try and garner attention for himself as well, and went to gather his belongings, sending messages of instructions to his minions who would be working night shift.

 

"Go on, shoo. He has plans for you tonight," R laughed, as James pointed to her shirt.

 

Nathan saw the shirt and chuckled some, smiling when she looked down and saw the gold glimmer of his band and gave him a nod. He followed James out of Six. 

 

"What plans have you got for me tonight?" Nathan asked curiously. 

 

"Well, we're taking a four day weekend, courtesy of Mallory, and going to Skyfall," James smiled. "If you don't mind?"

 

Nathan perked up at that, before smiling warmly at James, taking his hand and squeezing it. "Of course not." 

"Eve is going to cat sit, and I took the liberty of packing you a bag," James kissed him as R and the rest of the minions clapped.

 

Nathan blushed only a little, and nodded. "Good. I wouldn't want to waste a single second." 

 

"I hope you enjoy it," James said softly. "I got us a motel room in town, and we can go horseback riding."

 

Nathan's expression lit up at that. "You'll have to teach me that," he chuckled. "I've never gone horseback riding before." 

 

"It's fun, but we'll start slow so you don't get too sore," James opened the door to the pool. Oscar was happily swimming across the pool, and Turing was eyeing him disdainfully from his perch on Eve's lap.

 

Nathan grinned and went over to pet Turing. "Hello darling." He smiled at Eve, too. "Thanks for keeping him for me." 

 

"Of course, it's always a pleasure," Eve smiled. "And watching Alec make an idiot of himself has been rather fun."

 

There was a soft meow from behind him, and Oscar was already swimming over to where he was, Alec just behind him. Nathan picked up the towel James handed him with a grateful smile before wrapping it around Oscar. "Hello, darling, did you have fun?"

 

Oscar meowed happily. 

 

"Thank you, Alec," Nathan told the other man.

 

"Never thought I'd take a cat swimming," Alec grinned. "It was fun though. You two have fun this weekend."

 

Nathan chuckled. "He's amazing, right?" He dried Oscar's fur. "And thank you, Alec."

 

"Get out of here," Eve shooed them off. "Go. Drive safe."

 

Nathan kissed Eve on the cheek, then pecked Turing and Oscar before turning back to James.

 

"You two have fun, too," Nathan said.

 

"A catless weekend? Will we survive?" James teased.

 

"I'm sure we'll make it through somehow." Nathan winked.

 

"And I'm quite sure Eve will adopt a cat after this," Alec mock whispered.

 

Turing purred as if on cue as Eve scratched him behind the ear. "I've always wanted a cat," Eve sniffed.

 

"You're screwed, mate," James said cheerfully. "The Battersea shelter had an ad recently, why don't you go look this weekend?"

"You say it as though having cats is a thing that requires precaution," Nathan said, nudging at James with a smile.

 

"Uh..." Alec turned to Eve. "Only if you want to?"

"Oscar does love eating my phone chargers and knocking over drinking glasses," James laughed. "And we have to keep Turing from running the water everyday while we're gone.”

"Regular hazards that have already been forewarned," Nathan shrugged as though he hadn't struggled with those problems himself. "But at least they're cute. Right, sweetheart?" Oscar, who had dried his fur some, was purring at his feet.

 

"Sucker," James teased. "They just have to look cute, and all is forgiven. That didn't work for me with lost equipment."

Nathan whipped his head to look at James, scandalized. "If that's what you call an attempt at cuteness, I suggest you practice harder."

 

"See? No one appreciates us," James teased Alec.

Alec was toweling his hair dry as he nodded. "Right on, James. Right on." 

 

"If I didn't appreciate you, I'd be sending you out to the field with water guns," Nathan said. 

 

"Come on, let's get on the road," James suggested hastily, pulling Nathan along.

Nathan laughed, bid Eve and Alec good night, and followed James out.

The drive was pleasant, the weather clear. James kept their hands touching, and left Nathan in charge of music and navigation.

Left to his own devices, Nathan was exhausting his playlist that he only ever had on whenever he needed his own space to think and brew an idea or two. He had followed James on this path before, though not in the same way they were doing right then. Sitting here next to James now made him feel rather surreal about the whole scenario, but he kept his attention on the man, their hands brushing whenever James didn't have to shift gear. 

 

"Should we rest for the night, or continue until morning?" He asked when they were heading toward the last populated area for a long road to come. "I can switch with you, you know."

"It's up to you?" James said as they stopped for petrol. 

Nathan pursed his lips and wondered about it for a bit. "I can drive. You rest in the meantime." 

 

"Alright," James programmed the GPS with the exact address of the motel and switched seats with Nathan.

Nathan was rather gleeful, if he'd admit it to himself. As he had redesigned, rebuilt, added in more details to this entire car without even having the chance to drive it. Positively vexing. But that was remedied now, and soon, he was driving on the road, enjoying the hum of the engine in the night.

James curled up against Nathan's shoulder and dozed as he drove, the night air cool.

 

Nathan handled the car like a pro, smooth on the mountain roads. James was surprised to find that he was sleeping soundly when Nathan parked the car.

Nathan pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Did you sleep well?" 

 

"Yes," James stretched. "Did you have fun driving?"

"A lot," Nathan grinned, stretching as well. Everything was still rather dark, but according to his watch, dawn break would be here soon. "Do you want to watch the sunrise?"

"Yes... We can go down the road a bit... And watch the sun come up over the Glen?"

 

Nathan nodded. "I'll need to use the bathroom for a bit, and then we can go?" 

 

"Let's check into our room, we have enough time," James suggested.

 

They did so, locking the car and checking in. The sleepy man behind the counter gave them their key easily enough, and soon they were up in their room. 

 

"This is cute," Nathan remarked, looking around the cozy space. 

 

"I love old bed and breakfasts," James grinned. "It's like visiting someone but you can have loud sex."

 

Nathan laughed. "I love your thinking." He kissed James on the lips, left his bag on the bed, before heading to the bathroom.

 

James chuckled and sat down on the bed to wait. The bed was soft, with a hand sewed quilt, and flannel sheets.

 

Once he was done, Nathan returned and watched James with a smile. "Let's go." He extended a hand.

 

James nodded and used the bathroom quickly, before joining Nathan back in the car. The edges of the horizon were just lightening.

 

It was beautiful, and Nathan looked around the scenery that was finally illuminated by light, a fascinated smile on his face. He had never been to Scotland before.

James parked and took Nathan's hand as they watched the sun come up. 

 

"That was the way to Skyfall," James pointed to a road.

Nathan nodded to acknowledge it and didn't broach the subject further, knowing it was still a sensitive issue. Instead, he leant into James with a soft sigh. "It's so beautiful, James," he said softly, listening to the sound of birds tweeting in the trees, their surroundings waking up all around them to enjoy the new day and sunlight that came with it. "Thank you, for taking me here."

"Let's get some food, and sleep," James suggested. "Then we can have a late dinner, and explore tomorrow."

"Okay." He smiled, still liking this too much to move from where he was leaning against the man, but nodding anyway. The sky bled from orange to a radiant shade of pink that stretched across the vast horizon, casting its hue onto every surface and burrowing into all the crevices it could manage. It was breathtaking.

"My whole childhood, I remember my Da getting up early, and he’d bring my mother coffee in bed every morning," James said softly, Nathan still in his arms. "They were so in love."

 

Nathan listened, squeezing his hand the whole time. "They found their other half." He brought their joined hands up and kissed James's knuckles. "It sounded like they were happy."

"They were. It was rough on me, but I'm glad they went together. I couldn't have imagined them apart," James admitted.

Nathan was quiet for a moment, looking at the band around his ring finger, before he said, "And now you've finally come back with someone you love this time. If what you said about how your mother would've liked me, then I'd say they'd be proud."

"Yes, she would have," James smiled. "They both would have been. My father was forever telling me that it was important when you love someone that they know every day."

"Wise words," Nathan nodded. "I'm glad you decided to demonstrate it to me."

"I never doubted that they loved me, or each other," James said softly. "It made such an impression on me, even as a child. I want to make sure you know the same."

"You've given me more love than I've ever felt in my entire existence before, James," Nathan smiled. "Thank you."

James squeezed him and held him close. "It's been quite enjoyable," he smiled. 

"I should hope so," Taron chuckled. "Otherwise, I've been deluding myself pretty well."

"I wish to not wake up from this pleasant dream all the time," James admitted. 

 

They drove back to the hotel and had breakfast, before collapsing into the soft feather bed.

Nathan snuggled into James and wrapped his arm around the man. "Sweet dreams," he whispered, pecking him on the lips.

"Goodnight love," James drifted off.

 

***

 

They woke just as it got dark, and  showered and took a walk to find a pub for dinner. James pointed out a few places that he remembered, and they were soon settled into a booth with warm chips and cold pinta in front of them.

The locals (or those in the pub, at any rate) didn't recognize them, which was fine really, as long as they were friendly. Nathan didn't suppose many people went sightseeing up in these rather remote parts, although if that were true, and it would be quite a shame. It was beautiful.

 

Nathan's feet brushed against James's under the table. "So, come clean with me, do you know how to play the bagpipe?" he smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"A bit..." James admitted. "I can dance some of the traditional dances, and tie a kilt too," he grinned.

Nathan smiled. "You need to show me some time, then." He tipped their glasses together.

"I'll have to do some digging in storage, no one has particularly cared to see any of that before," James brushed his fingertips over Nathan's knuckles.

"Well, there is someone now." Nathan smiled, gazing into James's eyes. "As long as you're willing to perform of course."

"I think that's an area you won't find me lacking," James chuckled. "Are you ready to go make good use of our room?"

"I thought we were already doing so?" Nathan said innocently.

"There are other things to do in a room besides sleep," James teased at Nathan's guileless expression.

Nathan's smile turned cheeky. "I would like a demonstration, then," he said before standing up with James.

"With pleasure," James kissed his cheek and left a few bills on the table.

* * *

 

When they had exhausted themselves and were lying there on the bed, sweat cooling on their skin, Nathan tucked to James's side. "What are we doing tomorrow?" he smiled, lips brushing over the man's tan skin.

"I thought we could go riding... Go see Skyfall, bring dinner and surprise Kincaid," James kissed his cheek. "Unless there's something else you'd like to do."

Nathan shook his head. "I'd love to do all that with you." He smiled at James. "He won't mind us intruding suddenly, right?"

"Nah, once he stops using us as target practice," James chuckled. "He should recognize the car anyway."

"Would he? I barely have a handle to work with in reconstructing the car so it doesn't really look like your DB5 anyway." Nathan chuckled. "But is it really a legitimate concern that he'd shoot us?"

"No, but he'll probably wave his shotgun around," James smiled. "He's the one the taught me to shoot."

"I'm not surprised then." Nathan pressed his lips to James skin. It was a long second before he spoke, "Are you happy, James?"

"More than I ever thought I would be," James said. "I'd given up on a normal, happy life. We're so... Domestic. I was something I didn't know I was missing."

Nathan smiled gently, watching him, gazing at the way how his lips would form around those words. "I'm glad that... that being with me makes you happier."

"Are you happy?" James asked softly. 

"I am." He nodded. "I'm glad you weren't put off by my aloof attitude; glad that you asked to drive me home that night, sling and all, and everything that has happened since; glad that you took me here..." He shifted and brought his hand with the gold band still adorning his ring finger up before his face. "And glad for this, too."

James gave him a brilliant smile and leaned in to kiss Nathan. "I was waiting for the right person, I just didn't know it."

Nathan blushed a little at that. "I'm glad you waited for me then."

"I'd say I did my fair share of fucking up in the meantime," James gave him a wry smile.

"It came with the job," Nathan replied. He understood that much.

"Some of it... Some of it was me not caring because I came home to an empty house and figured I was going to die anyway."

"You don't think that anymore... right?" Nathan gazed at him.

"No, that's about as far from my mind as it could possibly be," James smiled.

"Good." Nathan sounded pleased. And he was. "Let's rest then. We've got horse riding to do tomorrow."

"Goodnight love," James turned off the light and wrapped Nathan up in his arms.

 

***

 

Morning in the Scottish highlands was misty and cool. James went to brush his teeth before getting on warm clothes, and waking Nathan with a kiss.

The brunette mumbled something incoherent, turning to where James was and pulled him down just so to wrap his arm around him. 

 

"Is this your way of hitting my snooze button?" James teased burrowing back under the covers next to Nathan.

Nathan hummed, face pressed to James's chest. "Is it working?"

"We can stay in bed as long as you like," James smiled.

"But that's the problem," Nathan sighed. "I want to have ample time for riding, too."

"We don't have to get out of bed before noon," James chuckled. "We can ride to Skyfall, and be back for supper."

Nathan seemed to contemplate this some, until the time stretched on for long enough that it seemed like he had already fallen back asleep. It was then he suddenly spoke up, "What time is it?" 

 

"Almost nine..." James rolled over and checked the clock.

Nathan immediately pressed to his back, like a limpet. "A bit more then," he agreed. "Ply with caffeine if you wish to pry my eyelids apart." His lips quirked up into a smile.

"I'll order us a pot of tea," James laughed, picking up the phone and ordering tea and breakfast.

It took a while, but eventually, Nathan managed to pull himself up, rubbing his eyes blearily the whole while. 

"You have adorable bed head," James snapped a picture with his cell phone.

Nathan grumbled and narrowed his barely opened eyes at the general direction of the blur that was James. "Yes, says the man who doesn't have to try and tame it every morning."

"I could try to learn to brush it, although I might be rather hopeless at it," James shrugged. "I did learn to brush cats, after all. There might be hope."

"Are you comparing me to cats?" There was an amused lilt to his voice.

 

"No... I'm just thinking out loud," James dared a grin. "Old dog, new tricks, and all that."

Nathan chuckled and shook his head. "To old dogs and new tricks then." He stood up, a little more comfortable now to walk naked in front of James, and yawned. "I'll use the bathroom." 

 

James nodded and pulled on a pair of pajamas and answered the door to collect their breakfast tray while Nathan was gone. He tipped the manager of the bed and breakfast with a smile and prepared Nathan's tea how he liked it first thing in the morning.

James was not done with that yet when Nathan's personal phone began chiming a familiar tune, and from the bathroom, its owner stumbled out. Nathan looked for the bag. "James... did you bring my shots with us?" He forgot about it. He was always forgetting about it these days, hence the alarm. Maybe it was just that part of him that hated needles that was repressing the memory or something; he would never figure it out really, not that he wanted to anyway. 

 

"In your laptop bag," James pointed to the wardrobe. "I put it in a cool pack, so it didn't get too hot in the car."

Nathan rubbed his face and pecked James on the cheek. "Thank you. You're a lifesaver." He grinned and went over to fetch his T and the syringe, taking in a bracing breath. "I'll be right back." 

"Don't try that without your glasses," James brought them from the nightstand. 

Nathan accepted them gladly as he threw the syringe wrapper away, sliding the spectacles on. "Ah. better." 

 

"I'll never understand how you forget to put them on," James smiled and pecked his cheek. He pulled clothes out of the suitcase for each of them, and debated shaving. He shrugged and put away the razor. It was a vacation. And a bit of scruff on Nathan's skin always elicited a pleasant reaction.

Nathan sniffed. "Well, it takes quite a level of distraction and practice." He chuckled before sighing. It took him two seconds to right himself up to just get this over with. They had a great day ahead, and procrastination tended to spoil things. 

 

He emerged fifteen minutes later, freshly showered and ready for the day.

"I love you," James whispered, burying his nose in Nathan's throat, before taking his turn in the bathroom. 

"Love you, too." Nathan smiled, watching James fondly before turning to the breakfast James had ordered to fix them their preferred beverages—coffee for James, and tea for him. He checked his work phone once and sighed in relief to find no new messages there before shoving it back into their bags. 

 

"Stop thinking about work, England won't fall because we're away," James accepted the mug of coffee and kissed his lover fondly.

"After you see that it's capable of fraying at the seams not one, but multiple times a day, it's hard to break the habit." Nathan smiled, kissing James back as they settled down for breakfast. "But you're right, of course." He buttered a toast for James. "This is our time off to enjoy." 

 

"You trained R yourself, and I left Eve a message that she isn't to call us," James bit into the toast. "The inn has a stable, I let them know we'll want two horses while you were in the shower."

 

Nathan smiled at James, amused but adoring at the same time. "Thank you," he said, biting into his own toast as well and munching on a bit of cold cut, sighing. "This is good." 

 

"Are you well rested then?" James smiled. "Finally ready to face the world?"

 

"I'm always ready," Nathan grinned. "It's only the preparation time that depends on the urgency of the situation." 

 

"Oh riddance..." James grinned. "Come on, I ordered us a lunch to bring too."

 

Nodding, Nathan stretched and stood. "What do we need to bring?" 

 

"Just us," James fed him the last bite of toast. "The phones are charged, and I have my Walther."

 

Nathan's tongue cheekily flicked over the tips of James's fingers as he kept them between his lips for a fraction longer than he should. He released them with a hum. "Good then." 

 

"Come on," James grinned, rolling Nathan under him on the bed as he pounced on him. "Or we'll never leave the room."

 

The boffin laughed, mischief in his eyes. He didn't even bother trying for innocence. "Are you admonishing me or encouraging? We need to make a clear distinction here,  or else I'll be confused."

 

"Both," James admitted. "I want to keep you all to myself," he rubbed broad hands over Nathan's hips. "But I want to show you Skyfall as well. How about we go riding, and stay in the rest of the weekend?"

 

Nathan wrapped his arms around James's neck. "I won't object to that." He smiled, pressing their lips in a gentle kiss.

 

"Two more minutes," James mumbled against his lips.

 

The brunette hummed, smiling as he nuzzled in and pressed their cheeks together, breathing in James's scent and his cologne. "Two minutes."

 

James nodded, his mind keeping a tally of how far into the 120 seconds they were as he ran his fingers through Nathan's curls. 

 

"Alright," he said finally. "Let's go be productive."

 

Nathan was as relaxed as he could ever be under James, letting their bodies and senses melt into one another, almost purring with every gentle touch his lover gave him. 

 

"Productivity depends on the perspective," he smiled somewhat teasingly, but nodded and got up. 

 

"Mmmhmm, and we're going to be productive and go horseback riding before I ravish you again," James said reluctantly. "I really want to show you Skyfall... or where it was. It's something I need to do. I haven't been able to come back alone since."

 

Nathan nodded and laced their fingers together, bringing their joined hands up to kiss at James's knuckles. "Let's."

 

The two steeds the bed and breakfast prepared for them are beautiful and well-maintained, their hair brushed and shining, showing off the powerful muscles underneath. Nathan smiled fondly when both were so friendly as to let him pet them. Once that was done, he turned to James to listen to him explain and teach him horse-riding. 

 

"We'll start off slow," James led the horses over to the mounting block. "They're very intelligent. Stay as calm as you can, they can tell when you get worried and it affects them."

 

"I should be fine in that aspect then," Nathan replied, smiling at the horses. He had dealt with international crises before while sipping at tea and snarking over the comms. He could handle being calm for these lovely creatures. 

 

His horse made a soft whickering noise and nudged his chest. 

 

"He seems to like you," James offered Nathan a hand to mount.

 

"I'll be glad if he does." Nathan smiled, took James's hand, and climbed up as graceful as he could, for the sake of the horse if nothing else, before petting it gently once he had settled. 

 

James was grateful that the horses were friendly enough. It would encourage Nathan to try riding again.

 

He swung up beside him and headed towards the stone fence line in the distance.

 

"Use the reins and nudge him with your heels to get going."

 

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Nathan knew he shouldn't clutch onto the reins too tightly, so he nodded and did as told, trying to be as gentle as he could because, really, who would want to hurt innocent animals for any reason at all? 

 

James looked almost in his element, and it took a while, but his lovely steed complied easily and headed to where James was waiting. 

 

Nathan beamed. 

 

"See? Nothing to it," James leaned over to kiss his cheek. "My mother used to take me riding when I was a boy, all over these hills," he added softly. "It reminds me how in her element she was out here, away from the city. She said the mountains let her breathe."

 

Nathan nodded. "I can understand what she meant by that... it really winds you down." He reached over and squeezed James's hand.

 

"It's beautiful out here, I'm glad I could show you," James nodded.

 

"Stay right where you bloody are, bunch of gawkers," a gruff voice ordered.

 

"Do you really intend to pull a gun on me every time I come up for a visit, Kincaid?" James grinned and turned to face the old man.

 

Nathan turned to see a man pointing his hunting rifle at them, more surprised than he was actually scared. 

 

"Hello, sir," he said, inclining his head politely as Kincaid lowered his firearm. He got down from his horse. 

 

"James Bond... Never did learn to use a telephone, did you?" The man shook his head as James dismounted.

 

"Meet Nathan, my fiance," James shook Kincaid's hand. "Some Americans were thinking of buying the place, but after we blew up the house, the offer was withdrawn. Good to see you again, Kincaid."

 

Kincaid turned to squint at Nathan. After all the stunts James had pulled back when he had still been in Eton College that he knew of, he didn't suspect he'd bring home a man. 

 

But well, each to his own. The lad seemed good natured enough as he smiled somewhat shyly and extended to Kincaid a hand as well. 

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Nathan said.

 

"Welcome to what's left of Skyfall," Kincaid shook his hand, approving of the strong grip. "I'm afraid James blew up the building, but the land is still lovely. You're welcome to come back to mine for a cup of tea, or Scotch."

 

"I'll opt for the tea," Nathan chuckled, shooting James a sideways glance. "He blew up that Aston Martin pretty spectacularly, too."  

 

"Yes, pity that," Kincaid shook his head. "She was a classic."

 

Nathan nodded in sympathy. "Well, at least you have a new one now," he told James, eyes looking at him fondly. 

 

"True," James grinned. "He got me the new DB9."

 

"Either you're hopelessly optimistic, or you have him on a short leash," Kincaid laughed.

 

"Both, sadly," Nathan sighed and shook his head. "He's perpetually wrecking every piece of tech I hand to him anyway, so you can say I'm no longer surprised... which, by the way, does not make me any less annoyed." 

 

"Stop replacing his tech, only repair what he brings back," Kincaid laughed. "There are ways, lad. Don't spoil him."

 

Nathan grinned, patting James's arm. "I'd love to do that, honestly, but between keeping his arse from getting flayed and making sure he doesn't do anything stupid, I suppose it'll have to do." He huffed playfully at James.

 

"Hmpf... Bet he'd be more careful if you challenged him," Kinkade offered Nathan a hand down. "I have some water boiling."

 

Nathan took it firmly. "I did challenge him though. He's just too stubborn." 

 

"Kincaid had a nasty habit of sending me out hunting with only what bits of weapons I returned," James gave a sheepish look.

 

"You take advantage of him liking you, James," Kincaid scolded.

 

Nathan looked scandalized as he huffed and turned away from James. "Such a sly man," he huffed under his breath.

 

"Well... You never really did send me out with a squirt gun," James protested, and Kincaid hid a snicker behind a cough.

 

"Is that a challenge?" Nathan narrowed his eyes.

 

"No! No," James gave his best smile. "Not in the least bit."

 

"Good," Nathan smiled, looping his arm with James's own.

 

Kincaid brewed a pot of tea, and invited James and Nathan to sit down.

 

"It hasn't changed much," James said softly.

 

"And why the hell would it? Just because you got too good for us, gallivanting off to the big city and all," Kincaid teased.

 

Nathan looked around, appreciating the rugged and earnest feel to the cottage, even if he knew that he wouldn't survive out here for long... not right then, not with his job and that still burning desire to stay connected to technology, something he seriously doubted would mellow out with age.

 

"Well, you know, job is there," James waved a hand.

 

"Don't be telling me you don't have down time after long missions. Just to think you almost sold the place," Kincaid sniffed disapprovingly. "You've become a city creature, honestly."

 

"He doesn't sometimes," Nathan replied softly with a small smile. He wondered how much Kincaid knew, since he never did ask James about it. "And if it's not him being busy, then it's me, so..." He laughed a little nervously. "You'll have to forgive us." 

 

"I'm just having you on, lad," Kincaid grinned. "I can just as easily drive to London. Not much to do around here these days."

"If you feel like visiting, we'll make sure you have a nice time." Nathan smiled.

 

"Ugh, smog and city buggers. I need a shower just thinking of it," Kincaid laughed. "Maybe one day."

 

Nathan grinned. "It has its perks. But truly, this is such a nice place. I haven't been able to breathe such fresh air for quite some time already." His knee brushed over James's own under the table. 

 

"It's beautiful up here, lonely though," Kincaid said wistfully. "After the Missus passed... Well I can't imagine leaving, but it isn't the same."

Nathan paused at that, saddened by the man's loss. He looked around, at the cottage, at the scenery outside the window, and sighed quietly. "We'll be sure to return here whenever we can." He gave Kincaid a small, soft smile.

 

"Thank you," Kincaid nodded.

 

"I've been thoughtless, being away so long," James whispered. "I suppose I took for granted that nothing would ever change here."

 

"Well, you're back now. That's better than never," Kincaid said. 

 

Nathan reached for James's hand and squeezed it. "It happens to the best of us, getting carried away by life and everything." 

 

"So, tell me more about what you do. Do you work at Six as well?" Kincaid asked Nathan. 

 

Nathan nodded. "I monitor a few missions, and design a few things he uses that he mostly never brings them all back."

 

"You're letting him get away with far too much. James, I ought to take you out to the wilderness and leave you with the remnants of the equipment you've broken," Kincaid threatened.

 

Nathan sat back and watched James with an amused smile on his lips, enjoying the fact that it wasn't him who was doing the reprimanding for a chance. "That does seem like an entirely sound idea, Mr Kincaid." He sniggered. 

 

"A few times in Siberia with a water gun and a box of rubber bands should be a permanent cure, if you ask me," Kincaid winked.

 

"Noted." Nathan grinned happily, watching James with nothing but mischievous fondness. 

 

"I'm going to regret letting you two meet, aren't I?" James smiled and kissed Nathan's cheek.

 

"Perhaps," Nathan chuckled and took the chance to kiss James's cheek, too. 

 

"Try to keep each other close, take advantage of the time you get together," Kincaid smiled. 

 

Nathan turned to the elderly man and smiled softly. "Thank you. I'll be sure to keep him close." He hugged James closer.

 

"Do that. You'll never find a man more loyal," Kincaid smiled. "Of course, he got all his best traits from listening to me and his father bullshit."

 

"I know how loyal he is," Nathan smiled at James. Even though most of what he had seen was shown via a sense of love-for-country; he never doubted where the man's heart lay. If he had, it would've already been eradicated after James's decision to transfer to working on domestic cases alone—something he appreciated more than he could ever really express. 

 

"I wager you won't get rid of him," Kincaid smiled. 

 

"In all honesty, I have never imagined that scenario." Which was true. In his mind, the possibility of them having a fallout was there, but he had never imagined himself abandoning James... Not at all. And somehow, saying it aloud surprised him still, but Nathan brushed his thumb over the band on his left ring finger and smiled. This went far beyond anything he had ever thought they would have, and perhaps for once in their lives, they could be happy. "It's good... with him. It's really good." 


End file.
